Container for fragile articles



Oct 6, 1936.. w, INMAN. 2,056,195

CONTAINER FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed March 9, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Z Miami Tm Oct. 6, 1936. w, INMAN 2,056,395

CONTAINER FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed Marh 9, 1955 2 INVENTOR Oct. 6, 1936 UNETED STATES 2,056,195 CONTAINER FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES William H. Inman, Newark, N. Y., assignor to Bloomer Bros. Company, Newark, N. Y., a corv poration of New York Application March 9,

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a container for fragile articles, such as eggs, electric light globes, Christmas tree ornaments, fruits, or the like. An object of the invention is to provide an improved and efiicient container capable of manufacture at low cost, and having improved cushioning means for supporting the fragile articles.

Another object is the provision of an improved form of collapsible filler for egg boxes and the like, having ellicient cushioning means.

A further object is the provision of cushioning means particularly adapted for a container of the so-called 3 X 4 type as distinguished from a container of the so-called 2 x 6 type.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will hereinafter be more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a container constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing the cover open and partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the container with the cover in closed position, substantially on the line 2-2 of Figs. 1 and 3;

' Fig. 3 is a transverse section substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1, with the cover closed;

Fig. 4-. is a transverse section substantially on the line 4-3 of Fig. 2; N

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of one of the elements from which the cushioning filler is made;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 1, showing a slightly different embodiment;

Fig. '7 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line of Fig. 6, with the cover closed;

Fig. 8 is a view of one of the elements of which the filler shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is constructed;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary View similar to a portion of Fig. 1, showing still another embodiment of the invention; 1

Fig. 10 is a transverse section taken substantially on'the line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9; V

Fig. 11 is a view of one of the elements of which the structure shown in Figs. 9 and 10 is constructed;

v Fig. 12 is an end view ofa construction made in accordance with still another embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 13 is a view of one of the elements of which the structure shown in Fig. 12 is constructed. The same reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

1935, Serial No. 10,218

The. present invention .may be embodied in a separate filler for insertion in a box, or in a construction in which there is no box separate and distinct from a filler but in which the partition structure itself forms the entire container without any separate removable outer covering. At present it is preferred to employ a collapsible filler insertable in and removable from a separate collapsible box, which box may be of any conventional collapsible construction, comprising a bottom 20, end walls 2|, front wall 22, rear wall 23, cover 24 hingedly connected to the top edge of the rear wall 23, and cover flap 25 to be tucked down between the filler and the front wall 22 when the cover is in normal closed position as shown in Fig. 3.

The filler comprises transverse partition members 30 and longitudinal partition members 3| crossing the transverse members substantially at right angles, as shown in Fig. 1, and interlocked with them in any conventional manner such as by means of slots 32 extending upwardly from the bottom edges of the transverse partitions 30 for receiving. the lower portions of the longitudinal partitions 3|, and slots 33 extending downwardly from the upper edges of the longitudinal partitions 3| for receiving the upper portions of the transverse partitions 3|]. The longitudinal partitions 3| may also have projections or lugs 34 extending through holes 35 in the transverse partitions slightly above the tops of the slots 32, to interlock the two series of partitions with each other. If the filler is designed to subdivide the box .into twelve compartments for holding one dozen eggs, for example, there may be two longitudinal partitions 3| to divide the space into three longitudinal rows of compartments, and three transverse partitions 30 to divide the space into four transverse rows of compartments, thus providing what is known as a 3 x 4 construction,'as distinguished from one of the socalled 2 x 6 variety.

The cushioning means according to the present invention comprises a cushioning bottom member which extendspartly into one row of compartments or cells and partly into another row of compartments or cells and which acts as a cantilever in one of these rows. The cushioning bottom may conveniently be formed integrally with a longitudinal partition member 3|. For example as shown particularly in Fig. 5, there may be a portion 40 of cardboard or the like integral with the partition 3| but partly separated therefrom by cuts 4| and 42. The member 40 is not completely out from the paror creased scores 43 as a hinge axis, so that the main portion of this cushioning bottom, below the hinge joints 43 when viewed as in Fig. 5, will extend obliquely downwardly and toward the front or back wall of the box in whichthe filler is placed, with the extreme edge of this cushioning portion resting on the bottom 20 of the box 7 substantially at the front or rea-redge-thereof, When the main portion as indicated in Fig. 3. of this cushion member is thus swung in one direction out of the plane of the partition 3|,

the other portion thereof, defined by the cut 42 above the hinge joint 43, will obviously swing in the opposite direction out of the plane of the partition 3| so that it will lieon the opposite side of the partition 3|, as indicated at 4.5 in Fig. 3, where it will act more or 'less as a cantilever projecting into the middle longitudinal row of cells and supported by cantilever action by reason of its being formed integrally with the main portion which lies on the opposite side of the partition and which forms an anchor for the smaller cantilever portion.

7 If each of the two longitudinal partitions 3'! be constructed in the same manner, as is preferably the case, then the main portions-40 0f the cushioning members will form inclined cushioning bottoms for the two outer longitudinal rows of compartments or cells (that is, the rows at the front edge and the back edge of the box), while the cantilever portions 45 from the two partitions 31 will both extend into the middle row of compartments'orcells as readily seen from Fig. 3, and may overlap somewhat with each other, as indicated, so that one of them may even support the other initially when the box is empty, but when eggs or other articles are placed in the compartments or cells of the middle row, the weight of the articles will force the portions '45 down somewhat and both of them will 'act as resilient cantilevers to support the fragile articles and protect th'em'from jars and shocks. The inclined main portions 40 in the frontand back rows of cells will 'likewise'provid'e cushioning bottoms for these cells, as they rest on the box bottom 20 only at one edge and are elevated substantially above the box bottom at the opposite edge,'with the consequence that they are free to bend or deflect as occasion demands.

Preferably the out line 42 separating the cantilever portion 45 of the cushioning bottom from the partition 3| is of the shape best shown in Fig. 5, providing a depending central tongue 48 on the partition 3| and projecting tongues 49 on each side thereof,on the cantiliver portion 45. The tongue 48 projects downwardly to a point below the center of the egg or other article to be placed in the compartment, so that the articles in the center row of compartments-are separated from articles in the front and back rows by these tongues 48 on the partitions 3 l, and the articles'thus do not come intodirect contact with each other through the holes left in the partitions 31 by the lateral displacement of thecantileverportionsl-S therefrom.

The longitudinal partitions 3| may rest upon feet 50 formed between the cut lines 4| which contact with the bottom 20 of the box and thus support the longitudinal partitions and, through the hinge joints 43, support the cushioning members. Slots 5| may be cut in the cushioning members 40 to provide space for receiving portions of the cross partitions 30,, and the cross partitions themselves may be notched away near their front and back corners as at 52 to provide spaces for receiving those portions of the cushioning members 40 beyond the extremities of the notches 51.- 1

-When the cushioning bottom members are swung into the same plane with the longitudinal pahtivtions 31, the longitudinal partitions and the transverse partitions may then be folded upon each other in the conventional manner in which .egg box fillers are folded, swinging relatively to each other about their vertical intersections. When it is desired to prepare a containerfor reception of articles, the box which may have been shipped from the factory in folded or knocked down condition, is erected or opened up, the filler structure is then opened up so that the longitudinal partitions and transverse partitions stand perpendicular to each other, and thelower edges of the cushioning portions 40 are then grasped and pulled outwardly, one toward'the front and the other toward the rear, after which the filler may be placed in the erected box to assume substantially the same position shown i-n'Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

It is thuswseen that an efficient cushioning filler has been provided, readily adapted to a contai-nerof the "3 x4 construction, whereas practically all prior cushioning fillers are necessarily of 2 x 6 construction and are not adapted for use with three rows of compartments or celis. The improved filler of this construction provides efficient cushioning for the bottoms of all the cells or compartments in all three rows, the cardboarder other sheet material of which the filler is constructed being of a reasonable degree of resiliency or spring-iness.

If desired, notches 55 may be provided in the top edges of the iongitudinal partitions or of the transverse partitions or both, to promote circulation of air through the different cells and to make the articles within the cells more readily visible when the cover of the container is open.

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7, and '8 of the drawings, there is indicated a construction which may be identical with that shown in Figs. '1 to 5 inclusive, except that the extreme lower or outer edges of the cushioning portions '41] may be provided with tabs 56 which may be formed, for example, oft-he material cut out of the notches 55 of the next adjacent partition cut from the samesheet of cardboard or the like. In use these tabs56 maybe folded back "under the edges of the cushioning portions '40, as indicated in 'Figs. 6 and '7, so that they serve to elevate the outer I edges of the cushioning portions slightly above the box bottom 20 and provide a slightadditionalcushioning efiec p In Figs. 9, 10, and 11 there is shown a slightly different embodiment in which the longitudinal partitionsg irrsteadof beingsupported by the feet 5|], as in the previous embodiment, are 'hung fromthecross partitions. .'-I-I'ere, the cross partitions-*Gflfha-ve substantiaily straight and unbroken bottom edges 64 which may rest directly on the bottom-of the box', these "cross partitions '61 having notches 62 extending downwardly from their top edges for receiving the upper portions of the longitudinal partitions 63. These longitudinal partitions have notches 64 extending upwardly from their lower edges for receiving the bottom portions of the transversepartitionsfifl. The main cushioning portions 66 are hingedly connected to the longitudinal partition 63 by the creased or cut scores 61, corresponding to the scores 43 of the previous embodiment, and have cantilever portions 68 corresponding to, the cantilever portions 45' of the previous embodiment. The main cushioning portions 66 are slotted at 69 in alinement with the transverse partitions so that when the cushioning portions are swung out of the plane of the longitudinal partition 63 into normal position of use, the slot 69 will receive the transverse partitions 60. Each slot 69 may extend all the way to the edgeiof the cushioning portions 66, but preferably it stops somewhat short of the edge, as indicated in Fig. 11, leaving narrow portions!!! of material between the ends of the slots 69 and the extreme edge of the cushioning portion, to connect the cushioning portions in adjacent cells to each other. The lower corners of the transverse partitions 69 may be cut off as at 'H, to provide space at the front and rear corners of the box to receive the portions ll] of the cushioning member.

In this construction, the various parts of the filler may be put together by moving the transverse partitions 60 lengthwise through the slots 64 and 69, which are long enough to receive the entire Width of the transverse partitions Gil, and after the partitions 69 are moved to proper position in a lengthwise direction, they are then moved upwardly with respect to the longitudinal partitions 93 tointerlock the two sets of partitions with each other in a manner obvious to those skilled in the art. This form of filler, like the forms previously described, can be readily collapsed when the cushioning portions 66 are in the same planes with the respective longitudinal partitions 63.

In Figs. 12 and 13 still another embodiment is illustrated, comprising transverse partitions 89 and longitudinal partitions 81 which may be interlocked with each other in the same manner described in connection with Figs. 1 to5 inclusive. The cantilever portions 85 in this instance correspond to the cantilever portions 45 previously described and may be constructed in exactly the same manner. The difference between this con-, struction and the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5 is that the main cushioning portions for the outer rows of cells in this instance do not extend obliquely downwardly to the front and rear edges of the box, as in the previous construction, but on the contrary have portions 90 extending obliquely downwardly to an intermediate hinge joint 9| formed by a cut or creased score and then they extend obliquely upwardly therefrom at 92 to other hinge joints 93 at or substantially at the front and back walls of the structure, whence they extend upwardly at 94 to any elevation desired, such as up to the horizontal plane of the top edges of the partitions and 8|. Feet 95 may be formed on the portions 94 at intervals, extending downwardly to the horizontal plane of the bottom edges of the partitions 80 and 81. The portions 81, 85, 90, 92, 94, and 95 are all formed integrally from a single piece of cardboard or the like, as indicated in Fig. 13.

The structure, when erected, as shown in Fig. 12,

may be used as a filler to be placed within a suitable box or, if suitable fastening means is provided for holding the front and back walls 94 to the edges of the cross partitions 80 and if a suitable cover is provided, this form of construction may be used as a complete container by itself, without the necessity of placing it within a separate box. The cantilever portions act, like the previously described cantilever portions 45, to provide cushioning supports for articles in the middle row of cells, while the inclined V- shaped bottoms and 92 act as cushioning supports for articles in the front and rear rows of cells.

I claim:

'1. A container for fragile articles comprising a partition for separating one article receiving compartment from another article receiving compartment, and a cushioning member supported at. least in part by said partition and having one portion extending laterally in one direction from saidpartition to form a cushioning support for an article in one of said compartments and another portion extending laterally in another direction from said partition and acting as a cantilever anchored by said first mentioned portion to form a cushioning support for an article in the other of said compartments.

2. A container for fragile articles comprising a partition for separating one article receiving compartment from another article receiving compartment, and a cushioning member hingedly connected to said partition and having portions extending laterally in opposite directions therefrom intosaid two compartments to form cushioning supports for articles in said two compartments, the portion extending in one direction from said partition being rigidly connected to the portion extending in the opposite direction, so that one of said portions forms an extension of and swings with the other of said portions.

3. A container for fragile articles comprising a partition for separating one article receiving compartment from another article receiving compartment, and a cushioning member hingedly connected to said partition and having portions extending laterally in opposite directions therefrom into said two compartments to form cushioning supports for articles in said two compartments, the portion thereof in one of said compartments acting substantially as a cantilever and the portion thereof in the other of said compartments forming an anchorage for said cantilever.

4. A container for fragile articles comprising a partition for separating one article receiving compartment from another article receiving compartment, and a cushinoing member forming a cushioning support for articles in each of said two compartments, said partition and cushioning member both being formed integrally from the same piece of sheet material, said cushioning member having one, portion adapted to be swung in one direction from said partition to extend into one'of said compartments and another portion adapted to be swung in one direction from said partition to extend into the other of said compartments.

5. A container for fragile articles comprising a partition for separating one article receiving compartment from another article receiving compartment, and a cushioning member forming a cushioning support for articles in each of said two compartments, said partition and cushioning member both being formed integrally from the 75 same piece of sheet material and hingedly connectedto each other along a substantially horizontal hinge line above the bottom of said partition, said cushioning member having a portion cut from said partition above said hinge line to be swung from the plane of said partition into one of said compartments and another portion below said hinge line, to be swung from the plane of said partition into the other of said compartments.

6. A container for fragile articles comprising a partition for separating one article receiving compartment from another article receiving compartment, and a cushioning member forming a cushioning support for articles in each of said two compartments, said partition and cushioning member both being formed integrally from the same piece of sheet material and hingedly connected to each other along a substantially horizontal hinge line above the bottom of said partition, said cushioning member having a portion cut from said partition above said hinge lineto be swung from the plane .of said partition into one of said compartments and another portion below said hinge line to be swung fromthe plane of said partition into the other of said compartments, one of said portions acting as a cantilever when swung into normal position of use and the other of said portions acting as an anchor for said cantilever.

7. A container for fragile articles comprising a partition for separating one article receiving compartment from another article receiving compartment, and a cushioning member forming a cushioning support for articles in each of said two compartments, said partition and cushioning member both being formed integrally from the same piece of sheet material and hingedly connected to each other along a substantially horizontal hinge line above the bottom of said partition, said cushioning member having a forked portion cut from said partition above said hinge line to be swung from the plane of said partition into one of said compartments, the portion of said partition remaining when said forked portion is cut therefrom constituting a tongue to separate an article in the compartment on one side of said partition from an article in the compartment on the other side thereof.

'8. A container for fragile articles comprising two groups of partitions intersecting each other and adapted to be swung relatively to each other about their intersections to fold upinto substantially flat form and to open out into erected form, and cushioning means associated with each of two adjacent substantially parallel partitions of one group, the cushioning means associated with each of said partitions being hinged to its partition abovethe bottomthereof and having a portion to be swung outwardly from its partition when said partitions are in erected form, to provide a cushioning support for an article on the outer side of said partition, and having another portion tobe swung inwardly from its partition to extendtoward the other of said two adjacent partitions to form, with the similar portion associated with the other of said two partitions, a cushioning support for an article placed between said two adjacent partitions.

9. A container for fragile articles comprising a plurality of cross partitions, two longitudinal partitions intersecting, said cross partitions to divide the space between each two adjacent cross partitions into three articlereceiving compartments, and cushioning means formed integrally with each of said longitudinal partitions and having portions extending into the compartments between said longitudinal partitions and portions extending into the compartments outside of said two longitudinal partitions to form cushioning supports for articles placed in said compartments.

10. A container for fragile articles comprising a plurality of cross partitions, two longitudinal partitions intersecting said cross partitions to divide the space between each two adjacent cross partitions into three article-receiving compart ments, said longitudinal partitions and cross partitions being capable of swinging about their intersections to a substantially flat collapsed position and to a normal erected position, and cushioning means formed integrally with each of said two longitudinal partitions and hinged thereto and adapted to lie in the plane of the associated longitudinal partition when the partitions are collapsed, said cushioning means, when said partitions are erected, being capable of swinging out of the plane of the associated longitudinal partition to provide a cushioning supporting portion in each compartment on each side of the associated longitudinal partition.

11. A container for fragile articles comprising a plurality of cross partitions, two longitudinal partitions intersecting said cross partitions to divide the space between each two adjacent cross partitions into three article-receiving compartments, said longitudinal partitions and cross partitions being capable of swinging about their intersections to a substantially flat collapsed position and to a normal erected p-osition,'and cushioning means formed integrally with each of said two longitudinal partitions and hinged thereto and adapted to lie in the plane of the associated longitudinal partition when the partitions are collapsed, said cushioning means, when said partitions are erected, being capable of swinging out of the plane of the associated longitudinal partition to provide a cushioning supporting portion in each compartment on each side of the associated longitudinal partition, the cushio-ningsupporting portions on one side of said associatedlongitudinal partition acting as cantilevers and being anchored by the portions on the other side thereof.

WILLIAM H. INMAN. 

